International trips centered around all of the passions shared amongst the TRO community
Travel and tennis are seemingly synonymous to the TRO community. We always seek the next opportunity to take our racquets on the road. Not only do we have a passion for the sport, but we know that its impact and effects are truly irreplaceable.
As adults, many of us have become accustomed to and often stress the importance of creating a life with an ideal balance of family, work, travel, and racquet sports, amongst other things. What if we had started traveling with our racquets at a younger age? While some of us may have carried a racquet everywhere as children, a wide majority of players didn’t start playing until their working years.
Atlas Tennis is one organization whose sole mission is to allow youth players to experience all the pursuits we’ve come to love so much. Offering tennis trips to locations such as Spain, Switzerland, France, London, the Netherlands, and Amsterdam this summer, Atlas is focused on curating a social yet competitive atmosphere for young players ages 13-18.
The playing level amongst players varies significantly, from recreational players to those already playing at a high level with collegiate aspirations. And, while most players may be familiar with scheduling local tournaments or matches, it’s completely different when it comes to competing in other countries. When juniors travel with Atlas, the team has already handled the backend work that could restrain players from traveling and competing internationally, such as tennis licenses through the federations, tournament registration, country ratings, and more. Their connections make the trip seamless, with a focus just as much on tennis as travel and socializing.
“I’ve been lucky to be involved in tennis my whole life from playing, winning a national championship as a coach, and helping to run the US Open. Through all of it, the way I’ve seen how tennis and travel fit together to create unique experiences for young people is like nothing else. For myself and our founding partners, we’ve all had the good fortune to experience this first hand—which is why we started Atlas. We want as many people as possible to have these experiences too, and hope we can play a part in creating them, facilitating them, and watching people grow through them.”
– Ben Shapiro, Director of Atlas Tennis
Atlas has built-in time for sightseeing and exploring around the tennis and tournament schedule for each location. With small group sizes and safety being of the utmost importance, Atlas always aspires to ensure that every individual leaves with even more love for the game as well as unforgettable memories and relationships. Shapiro and his team are eager to provide the experience of a lifetime while showing them all that comes with tennis—from the experiences and world travel to the exercise to the fun and friends that surround the court.
“All of us behind Atlas Tennis love the sport—we’re tennis players and have turned that into careers as well,” Shapiro said. “We see ourselves as trying to fit into the tennis ecosystem and want to play a role in growing the game.”